Lubricant compressor



O. U. ZERK LUBRICANT COMPRESSOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 19. 1924 am 29, m9

Sama 299 E929. lji

v o. U. ERK

LUBRICANT COMPRESSOR Filed April 19, 1924 2 `:sheets-sheer@ 2 Patentes aan. ze, 192e.

- OSCAR U. ZERK, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO AILERII'IE MANUFACTURING I CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LUBnIANT .comr'misson Application ledApril 19, 1924. Serial No. 707,697.

yMy present invention relates to improvements in lubricant compressors and is particularly concerned with the provision of a novel lubricant compressor for supplying lubricant'under high pressure to bearings to be lubricated. 4

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a compressor of the character de scribed which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and easy to operate.

Another object of my invention is to p rovide a compressor which is able to handle either fluid or semi-plastic lubricants. A still further object of my invention is to provide a compressor, such as described, by means of which lubricant can be supplied under `pressure to a bearing. irrespective of the angle of approach to the bearing.

Other objects of my invention will appear as this description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through one embodimentof my invention, Figure 2 is an end view thereof, Figure 3 is a viewy similar to Figure -1 showing a modied form of m invention, Figure 4 is a view partially in e evation and partially in section showing a further modification, and Figure 5 is a central longitudinal section of another embodiment of my invention.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a barrel 10 having a removable closure 11, which is secured thereto by means of the projections 12, forced outwardly from the open end of the barrel, and the bayonet grooves 13 formed inthe cap. The handle comprises the, two

hollow metal stampings 14 secured to the cap enclousre 11` by means of the tongues 16, which project from the forward ends of the two portions of the handle through suitable openings in the cap 11, and are then bent over as shown in Figure 1 so as securely to clamp the handle to the cap.

The opposite end of the barrel 10 is reduced in diameter and supports the guide tube ,1,7 which is secured thereto by the thread'connection 18. A flanged disk 19 is threaded into the inner end of the guide tube 17 and providedl with a plurality of eccentric ports 20 for the assage of lubricant.

A cylinlder 21 is reciprocably mounted in the outer end of the'guidetube 17 and provided at its outer end with a cap or coupling member 22. A conical depression 23 is formed in thel outer end of the coupling member 22 for c oacting with the spherical end of a, iitting 24' such as described in my `Patents Nos. 1,655,213 and 1,679,888. e y

A closure, or check valve 25, is yieldingly held against the outer end-of the cylinder, by means of a compression sprin 26, confined between the closure 251and vthe end of thecap or coupling member 22.' A hollow plunge27 is l'eciprocably mounted in the cylinder 21 and projects inwardly therefrom in such manner that the inner end of the plunger 27 bears againstthe central l eoI ports a washer, or perforated disk 30, which, A

whenin its innermostposition,partiallycloses the ports 20 and thereby causes reistance to be ofered'to the passage of lubricant from the guide tube 1'7 to the barrel 10.

My present compressor is particularly designed for supplying very heavy oils and semi-plast-ic lubricants lor greases to bearin s,

a'nd,yto insure the passage of lubricant Vfrom the barrel 10 into the cylinder 21, I provide the sheet metal piston 31 which is slidably mounted in the cylinder 10 and provided at its center with a Sleeve 32 which rides upon the rod33. The outer end of thisrod extends through .theopening 34 in the cap 11. TheV portionsofthe cap 11 immediately adjacent the opemn 34 are pressed loutwardly to form a conical epression 35 which assists in centering the outer end of the rod 33 when the cap 11 ,is applied to the barrel 10. Acollar 36 carried by the rod prevents the latter from being displaced outwardly into the handle.

v In the operation of my improved compressor the cap 11 is first removed; then the rod 33' is removed and carries with it the piston 31. In this connection Vit should be noted that the inner end of the rod 33 is provided with a head37, which engages the end of the piston 31 are then replaced, as is also the cap 11. i The-operator'then brings the cap O1' coupling. member 22 into contact with the spherical end of the fitting 24 and applies pressure to the handle in thev direction of the fitting. This causes the plunger 27 to move intoV the/cylinder 21and the sleeve 17 to move downwardly -over the cylinder, at the same time-compressing the spring 29. The initial movement ofthe cylinder 21 into the guide tube 17' createsa. pressure which moves the washer, or restraining device, 30, Vinto position where it partially vcloses the ports 20 a-ndthus causes a certain amount .of resistance to be voffered to the escape of lubricant from thespace between the tubular guide 17 and the plunger 27. Consequently lubricant is displaced by the inner end of the cylinder 21 and passes'through the. ports 28 into the cylinder 2,1, before the ports 28 are completely closed' by the inner end of the cylinder.A In thisinanner substantially complete filling of the cylinder 21 is insured.

' Continued pressure upon the handle causes the plunger 27 to move still further into the cylinder 21 thereby displacing lubricant from the latter past the check valve25 and linto the fitting. v'Vhen the operator then releases the pressure upon the handle the spring 29 expands and returns the parts to the positions shown in Figure 1. In moving out of the cylinder 21 the plunger causes a substantial vacuum to be produced in the cylinder, and, as soon' as the ports28 are uncovered, atmosphericy pressure exerted upon the louter face of the piston 31 will cause the latter to move toward-the cylinder.

21 and force lubricant through the ports 20, the space between the tubular guide 17 and the closure 27, and through the ports 28 into the. cylinder 21. It will, of course, be understood that the lconnections between the two portions of the. handle and between the handle andthe cap 11 are of such character as to permit sulicient air to pass into the outer end of the cylinder 10 to permit atmospheric pressure always to be exerted upon the outer tace of the piston 31.

That form of my invention illustrated in Figure 3 is similar to the one just described except that the washeror disk 3.0 is omitted and the cap or coupling member 22 is pressed onto the outer end of the cylinder 21 in place of being threaded thereupon. The collar 30 can be omitted and a satisfactory operating construction will remain, particularly if the ports 2O are made small `enough to offer a slight resistance to the reverse flow of lubricant. i

The construction shown in Figure 4 is -similar to that ofFigure 3 except that in the comparativelyshallow, so thatthe operator will have 'no difficulty in grasping the knob or handle 37 for the from the barrel.

The construction shown ifnFi'gure 5A is de-` signed particularlyfor supplying the more fluid lubricants to bearings, and differs somewhat from the disclosures inthe preceding figures, in that a solid plunger 27 is employed and in that the ports 28 are formed in the inner end of the cylinder 21. A sleeve. 38 has one end threaded into the inner end of the guide tube 17 and extends inwardly therefrom. This sleeve supports a disk19 which tis provided with eccentric ports 20. and, as

in the constructions previously described,

purpose of removingit acts as anabutment, or stop, for the inner x end of the plunger 27'; A valve or restraining member -in the form of a cap 30 is slidably 'mounted upon the inner end of the plunger 27 and adapted partially to close the ports .20. The opening 39 in the'bottom of the restraining ymem-ber 30 is somewhat larger than the plunger 27 so as to permit the passage of lubricantthroughpthose por- .tions of the ports 20 `and the opening'39 which overlap.' It will, of course, be seen that when the restraining member 30 is in its innermost position the yopenings through which the grease'can How, from the space between the plunger 27 and the guide tube 17 into the barrel,"are comparatively small. It will also be understood that in this embodimentlof my invention Vthe restraining member 30 performs the same function as the disk 30 of Figure 1. y

The operat-ion of the compressor just described is quite similar to that of the compressors shown in Figures 1 toe, inclusive. l'Vhen the compressor isv held with the coupling member 22 at a level lower than that of the'barrel 10 lubricant will How through the ports 20', the opening 39, and through the ports 28 into the cylinder. If the coupling end of the compressor isthen elevated `above the level ofthe barrel 10 the lubricant willtend to return to the barrel 10 but its4 tails of construction but is capable ot other adaptations and modifications4 W1th1n the scope of the appended claims. y

Having thus described my inventlon what I claim is:

1. A lubricant compressor comprising a barrel havlng a removable cap at one end, a guide tube communicatmg yv1th said barrel,

a disk carried by the inner. end of said t-ube4 and provided with a port,l a cylinder recipro cably mounted in the outer end of sai-d tube,

va plunger carried by said tube and reciprocable in said cylinder, the outer end of said plunger being hollow and having a lateral port communicating lwithsaid'tube, a spring enclosed by said cylinder and plunger for holding said .cylinder and plunger in separated relation and a movable means carrie-d by the inner end of said plunger for restricting return flow of lubricantthrough the port in said disk. i

2. A lubricant compressor comprising a barrel, a guide tube communicating with said barrel, a diskcarried by the inner end ofl said tube and provided with a port, a cylinder reciprocably mountedin the outer end of said tube and communicating Withk said tube, a plunger carried by said tube and re-4 ciprocable in saidcylinder, a spring for holding said cylinder and plunger in lseparated relation and means carried by the inner end of said plunger for restricting return flow of lubricant through the port in said disk.

3. A lubricant compressor comprising a barrel,a guide tube communicating with said barrel, a cylinder reciprocably mounted iny the outer end of said tube and communicating with said barrel, a plunger for cooperating With said cylinder, a spring for holding said cylinder and plunger in separated relation and means permitting substantially unrestricted flow of lubricant from said barrel to said cylinder but restricting the flow of lubricant in the reverse direction.

4. A lubricant compressor comprising a barrel, a cylinder communicating with said barrel, means for discharging lubricant from said cylinder and means for causing lubricant from said barrel to pass into said cylbled relationship.

inder comprising a rod removably -mounted in said barrel, a piston slidably mounted upon said rod, and a cap removably secured to one end of said barrel, said cap havingan opening surrounded by a. conical depresslon for receiving the outer end of said rod. y

5. A lubricant compressor comprising a barrel, a cylinder vcommunicating with said barrel, means for discharging lubricant from said cylinder and means for causing lubricant from said barrel to pass into said cylinder comprising a rod removably mounted in said barrel, a piston slidably mounted upon said rod and a cap removably secured to one end of said barrel, said cap having an opening for receiving the outer end'of said rod.

6. A lubricant compressor of the class described comprising, in combination, a container, expelling means carriedthereby, said means operated byr thrusting said containerv toward a part,to be lubricated, means for making a sealed connection with a lubricant receivlng fittmg, and an operatmg handle for said compressor, said handle comprisinghol` low stamped metal members secured tosol means operated bythrusting said'barrel toward a part' to be lubricated, means for making a sealed connection with a lubricant receiving fitting, a cap for said barrel, and a stamp/ed metal handle having parts engaging said cap to Areceive the thrust exerted on said handle to operate said expelling means and laterally disposed parts inside said capv for holding said cap and handle in assem In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 1st day of April, 1924. OSCAR U. ZERK. 

